My Career

By Deborah Dawn Comes and Randy Runyan

My name is Deborah. I live at the Montana Developmental Center [Montana's developmental disabilities institution, located in Boulder, Montana]. Last August I started looking for a job in the town of Boulder, with the help of the Vocational Department staff and David Hammis from the Rural Institute. I think it was really neat that I could be from the Montana Developmental Center and get a job in the community.

I used to help my sister with her twin daughters when they were very young. I have wanted to work with young children for a long time now. I used to work in a day care center in Helena, Montana, and really enjoyed that kind of work.

At this time, I have chosen to try to find a job in a day care center. I want to work with children again because I like to play games with them. I also like to read stories to them. I have some computer skills and would like to work with children on learning to play games and use computers.

Last August I went to visit a local day care center that wanted to hire someone to help with the kids. When I toured the day care, it sounded like I had a chance at getting a job there. The day care owner sounded really positive about wanting to hire me. Time went by, days turned into weeks, and still I did not hear if I got the job. Then one day I found out that I was not going to get the job. I was disappointed. I was very excited about getting that job.

In October I was assigned a Vocational Rehabilitation counselor. In February I selected a job coach from Helena Industries. I'm happy to be working with my new job coach, but I have been very frustrated with how long it has taken to get to this point. My job coach has been in contact with another day care center here in town. I feel very hopeful that things will work out this time and that I will be able to get a job at this day care.

I do have other work interests that I can do for the time being, since I couldn't find a day care job right now. At this time I am preforming secretarial duties for the Vocational Department at the Montana Developmental Center, filing the payroll records for all the employees. When I stared this job, I was filing records by individuals' names, now I am cross filing them by date, too. I am also filing occupational therapy and physical therapy records and daily staff reports. I have been doing this job for a few months. I like it because I like working alone and I am the only person who does this job.

I have not given up my dream of working with children. Some day I will be living in the community and then I can start to look for another day care job. I would like to say this to other people with disabilities: chase your dreams! Don't let them get away.

Deborah Dawn Combs is a resident at the Montana Developmental Center in Boulder, Montana. Randy Runyan is a Treatment Program Specialist at the Montana Developmental Center.